India moves to require digital ID for farmer and food subsidies

India continues to introduce more stringent biometric-based identity verification requirements for receiving benefits and subsidies and inclusion into welfare programs.

The country’s agricultural leader, the state of Maharashtra, has announced that only digital farmer ID cardholders will have the right to receive state government subsidies as of April 15th this year. The state is home to 11.9 million farmers, according to the Deccan Chronicle.

The digital farmer ID, also known as Kisan Pehchaan Patra or Kisan card, is linked to the Aadhaar biometric system and designed to serve as a centralized identity for agricultural stakeholders. The identity is provided by AgriStack and allows farmers access to benefits from both the central government and state government schemes, cheaper credit lines and specialized advice.

India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has so far created over 20.5 million biometric farmer IDs, according to March data. The country’s ultimate plan is to generate 110 million farmer IDs by 2026-27. To achieve this, the government will have to mitigate issues such as low digital literacy rates and a lack of connectivity in some areas.

The central government of India has also launched an initiative to ensure only eligible citizens receive subsidized commodities through the Public Distribution System (PDS), a government program that ensures the supply of food grains and other essential commodities. The aim is to eliminate fake or duplicate beneficiaries.

The deadline for completing the KYC process was March 31, 2025, according to the Times of India.

Ration card holders were required to verify their identity through a biometric authentication process called AP Ration Card eKYC and link their Aadhaar cards to ration cards. The Aadhaar-based biometric authentication is completed through a fingerprint or iris scan using an e-POS device.

Failure to complete the procedure will result in the suspension of food grain subsidies under the PDS, officials have warned.

The Himachal Pradesh government has made it easier for PDS beneficiaries to complete the KYC process at fair-price shops and Common Service Centers (Lok Mitra Kendra). Citizens can also complete the process by using the Aadhaar-based face biometric authentication in the eKYC PDS HP app, according to Tribune India.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  biometrics  |  farmer ID  |  identity verification  |  India  |  KYC  |  social protection